Nationals 2007: Blow by Blow

Originally posted to Xanga on June 26, 2007

So this is what happened at Nationals 07, in Belton of Texas:

We stayed at the Riley's house! We had wicked delays leaving Providence (which is actually Warwick, but Rhode Island is so small it doesn't really matter) and didn't get to their house until midnight. I decided I hated travelling. But it was so, so, so wonderful to see the Rileys! And their house is amazing. And dangerous. But mostly amazing. :D

Then we leave for Belton, doing a caravan type thing. We get to our hotel and it's a little skeavy. I think I could have handled it, though. Except, Mom and I took a walk around. It was a little scary. Then we find out that the Rileys' room's door doesn't lock!! Sammy could push the door open. Brilliant. Mrs. Riley went through the phone book trying to find hotels with room available. Belton is wicked small, so I don't know how she did it, but we got the last two suites at Comfort Suites with the Pensons. Talk about an upgrade! It was wonderful. :D Also, we went to KFC at 9:30 for a bite to eat . . . yucky yucky.

Monday morning finds us at the campus, with exposers and extempers and R10ers walking around! It was so great to see people!! Actually, it was a bit awkward and I felt a little out of my element, but it was fine. I survived. And I tried on Kate's snood. Sam taxied us over to the expos building, and I settled in to watch a panel. And the fire alarm goes off. And it was primarily the R10 people giving their speeches. With a fire alarm going off. Oh yes, it was great. I would talk about the opening ceremony, but alas, I don't remember it. At all.

Tuesday morning I was tired and nervous and not feeling to well. But who really feels amazing at tourneys? (Probably the boys who play basketball during breaks and sweat. Ew.) We had to go pick up Sabrina because her mom wasn't feeling well. And on the way to the campus I blow chunks. All over my jean jacket. All over the car. Thankfully not all over Sabrina. I actually wasn't embarrassed as much as I thought I would have been. So we go to the bathroom so I can clean myself up (oh, did I mention I forced down a mini muffin and orange juice for breakfast? Don't try to picture it.) and we meet Hannah Walhen, and I vomit more. I felt like crud. This was not nervous butterflies.

A woman heard me throwing up and saw my mom washing my shirt in the sink, prayed with her, and told her that there was an infirmary I could go to. We waited 20 minutes or so for Nurse Debbie to arrive. I threw up more. Nurse Debbie talked with my mom and got me a cold pack for the back of my neck. I felt miserable. Mom went to forfeight my debate round and get some ice. While she was gone Nurse Debbie set me up with a bed, Mrs. Edelblut came and prayed over me, I slept and threw up, Dr. Smith came to see me, and at noon we went back to the hotel. I tried to go back to the campus to do an apologetics round, but when we were there I almost threw up again. Mom had to talk with Mrs. Rossi and Mr. Larimer -- we had to decide on a status for my competition.

So I withdrew from debate. I forfeighted three IE rounds. I missed Katei's birthday. And Wednesday morning I was better. Shakey, weak, a bit nauseated, but well enough to compete. Mrs. Riley and Mrs. Rossi had been calling us repeatedly for updates on my condition, and I felt so loved that they care even though they were so busy. Everyone I bumped into on the campus asked me how I was feeling and they made me a card! It was so sweet -- I felt so loved. I watched two debate rounds that were bittersweet, gave three speeches, had a nice talks with various people, and went to the social. That was bittersweet too. As excited as I was for Hannah and Sabrina, I was sad for Micah and Andrew.

Thurday I watched speeches, mostly Reg10n people, and I taped hardly anything. I really didn't get much accomplished at all. I was mostly stuck in the Maybee building because of the rain. But after supper breaks were announced and Paul & Tim and John & Manda were in quarters!! Not against each other, of course, but debating!! We ran (actually, I insisted on walking) through the rain to a far far building on the end of the campus to watch Tim and Paul's round. We waited there for an hour. Then they moved us to a different building. Their round didn't start until 9ish due to complications. But Thursday was a fun day. Disney songs and pickles in vending machines and rapping and corn dogs and birthday songs . . .

Friday was all a fog. We missed break announcements, but were pleased to hear how our region was getting on. It rained. A lot. I was stuck in Maybee again and had an obnoxious ordeal with taping speeches! The tournament ran mostly on schedule. I watched the final LD round, and parts of the final TP round, and then came the awards ceremony. And you know, I usually sleep through Mrs. Moon's speech, but it was really great this time. Really great. After the awards ceremony and ballots and pictures everyone was like, hey, come to Chili's! And we get to Chili's and they're like, "Chili's is fully -- come to IHOP!" And so we go next door to IHOP and they're like, "IHOP is full -- we're having pizza at La Quinta!" And so we partied at La Quinta. That was the greatest. Saying goodbye to everyone, Katie especially, was really sad, even though we were gonna see the Rileys back at the hotel.

Nationals 07 was something else. For more pictures check out my Photobucket albumn.